It's not unusual being on the marketing side of the yacht industry to receive a text from a broker asking to announce a boat that's been sold. It's important to announce the sale for several reasons, not just for recognizing a job well-done by the broker, but also for the team at the supporting brokerage firm. We all high-five when this happens. If you've ever gone through the process of buying or selling a yacht, you can truly understand how "it takes a village".
United has several support teams - administrative, listing, closing, and marketing. We all work together and communicate, especially when a high-profile yacht has been sold so we can ensure that the successful transaction gets announced.
But what constitutes a high-profile closing? Is it a boat owned by an influential owner? Celebrity? I always enjoy hearing the full story from the broker before making the announcement as it almost always has some twists and turns, excitement, followed by the celebratory maiden voyage for the new owners.
In this most recent case, the boat was an off-market yacht, so I was really interested to get the story of exactly how this came to fruition. Can you imagine receiving a call out of the blue that someone wants to buy your multi-million dollar yacht that's not even for sale?
The yacht I'm referencing above is a 2013 F&S 67' Custom Sportfish (Image Below) recently sold by United Yacht Sales broker Captain Greg Graham. Obviously, this is not an everyday buyer or your average boat. Needless to say, Greg also isn't your average yacht broker and this took quite a bit of extra effort to bring to the proverbial finish line.
WHEN THE PLANETS ALIGN
Yacht brokers provide a distinct advantage to their clients when they can uncover yachts that are not officially listed on the market. These “off-market” opportunities often arise through the broker’s personal relationships with owners, other brokers, and shipyards. By leveraging this insider access, a broker can present exclusive options that buyers would not discover on public listing sites. This not only widens the pool of potential yachts but also positions the client ahead of competing buyers who are limited to what is openly advertised.
"Completing an off-market sale is usually a difficult situation from the beginning," said Greg Graham. "Generally speaking you have a buyer that doesn't want to be taken advantage of and you have a seller that hadn't even considered selling. It can make for some tough negotiations, but this is where having good relationships with your network of other brokers can really make a difference. Trust always plays a big factor."
In this particular case, Greg was approached by another broker and longtime friend about finding a F&S that wasn't currently for sale. "There are a group of us brokers that work together really well, even though we are at competing companies," he continued. "We've all been doing it for so long, we do our best to respect each others' clients and we treat each other fairly. The end result is we both have happy clients."
In this case, I felt compelled to mention that the buyer's broker might have reached out directly to the owner, but instead remained true to the mutual respect of their network of sportfishing yacht brokers and reached out to Greg directly. "I would have done the same for him," Greg signaled.
Greg reached out to the owner of the F&S 67' to let him know that there was an interested party. "I really don't care to sell, but throw me an offer," the boat's owner said. The buyers came back with a reasonable offer and "the deal couldn't have gone better," according to Greg.
After hearing the story I had to ask, but how? How were you able to approach an owner who hadn't planned on buying another boat right now to get rid of the one he has? "It's all about the relationship," Greg said. In this case, Greg had known the captain of the F&S for 25 years and the owner of the boat for more than 15 years. "It was a combination of hurricane season, the upcoming hunting season, and the fact they also have a larger center-console they fish year-round," he said.
"We even sat down and had a BBQ lunch the day of the survey," he quipped. "That's a lot of trust. Normally, you would never sit down for a prolonged period of time with a buyer, a seller, and the broker on the other side before the deal has completed."
In the end, sometimes the planets align.
United Has The Largest Network Of Brokers & Potential Opportunities
Staying constantly aware of what off-market yachts could be available is important for full-time, professional yacht brokers. Because these hidden opportunities sometimes represent the most desirable and exclusive options for their clients, keeping a log of what's on and off the market in your segment of the industry is important. This particularly comes in handy with custom sportfishing yachts, for example, where only a handful of boats are delivered each year.
By maintaining strong relationships with yacht owners, builders, and other brokers, they can anticipate which vessels might quietly come up for sale before they ever reach the online market. This awareness allows brokers to act quickly on behalf of their buyers, securing access to rare or high-demand models that may never be advertised. In a competitive marketplace where timing and exclusivity are critical, a broker’s ability to track and identify potential off-market yachts is a key factor in delivering exceptional value and results for their clients.
Here are 3 distinct ways that UYS Brokers tap into off-market yacht opportunities:
- Foster our networks - There simply is no substitute for experience and many relationships are built along the way. We encourage our brokers to work together for off-market opportunities using our patented online broker forum that connects all 250+ brokers instantly.
- Publicly market a "Wanted" campaign - If we have a broker with a serious buyer, we have the ability through our digital marketing audience to market that we are looking for specific boats.
- Leverage relationships with shipyards - Brokers who have built relationships over time with manufacturers or custom boat shipyards can often go back and ask about potential off-market opportunities.
An off-market yacht deal often leads to a more favorable transaction for both the buyer and seller. Since these yachts are not subject to the same competitive bidding environment as publicly listed ones, brokers can negotiate terms more strategically and without the added pressures of a public listing. A professional yacht broker will make sure their client benefits from expert guidance on pricing, market trends, and contract details, resulting in a well-informed purchase. A yacht broker’s ability to access hidden inventory not only saves the client time and effort but also maximizes their chances of acquiring the perfect yacht under advantageous conditions.
If you have a boat that you would consider selling and just want to see what it's value is in today's market, we invite you to fill out our What's My Boat Worth form. One of our professional brokers will respond with that value and there's no hassle for any other obligation or meetings.
